This study presents the story of the Brazilian Association of Nursing in Bahia federal state-It parallels the trajectory of this association to the history of the National Brazilian Association of Nursing, pointing out the most important events in its fifty-three years of work. It is clear that the history of the Brazilian Association of Trained Nurses (ABED)/ABEn-Bahia begins with the foundation of the Nursing School of the Federal University of Bahia. Teachers at this university, who were nurses in their home states, and had participated in other associations previously, were motivated to create a new branch of ABEn in Bahia. The branch of ABEn in the city of Feira de Santana-Bahia, had a similar trajectory, since it was also founded after the creation of the State University of Feira de Santana. The branch of ABEn in Bahia is considered a democratic association, which is attentive to the claims of the nursing professionals, the health of the Brazilian population and also to the strengthening of the organization.
ABEn; history of nursing; professional association